Earlier this week I came across a very interesting column by Craig Wilson in USA Today. In his column, Wilson discussed marriage, sharing housework, and loading dishwashers. All three topics are, of course, deeply intertwined.

Specifically, Wilson cites a study from the folks at Bosch, a high-end dishwasher company, which found that 40% of couples fight over how to load the dishwasher.

I found that statistic very interesting. For starters, I don’t understand the concept of arguing over how to load the dishwasher. Seems to me, the simple answer is, “You don’t like the way I do it, do it yourself.” Problem solved.

But that aside, I agree that every dishwasher presents infinite options when it comes to loading. Do you put the small plates with the large ones, or next to the bowls? Which way do you face the bowls? When should an item go on the top rack instead of the bottom? Where do the long utensils go when they don’t fit in the silverware caddy?

There are so many potentially wrong decisions that I don’t even try to help load the dishwasher at a friend’s home, and I don’t want people to help me with mine.

What I really liked about Wilson’s column, though, was how he touched on my two biggest dishwasher pet peeves: 1) do you place silverware face down or face up, and 2) do you have to pre-rinse the dishes?

To me, both answers are clear.

1) Face down, obviously. If you put spoons and forks in the caddy face up, you have to touch the goop on them as you do. Put knives in face up and you risk impaling yourself when you reach in to add that last fork from dessert.

2) Don’t rinse. That’s just redundant, like vacuuming the house before the cleaning lady comes.

I wish Wilson’s column had gone one step further and found studies showing the actual percentage of people who put their silverware face down (the right way) or face up (the wrong way).

Once again a Webster resident has been recognized as being a stand-out in her field. In this case, a playing field.

Photo courtesy Democrat and Chronicle

In yesterday’s Democrat and Chronicle, the lead local story featured Webster Schroeder High School senior Hannah Harrison, who was recently named to the All-American Marching Band. Hannah plays clarinet for the Webster High School Marching Band, and is one of only 130 musicians selected for the national honor. She’ll travel with the All-American Band to San Antonio Texas in January, where they’ll play at halftime at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl, a national high school football all-star game.

You can watch Hannah perform for yourself this weekend when the Webster High School Marching Band hosts OPERATION BLUE, a day-long open house culminating with the annual Autumn Fanfare field band competition at 5:30 pm. Students interested in joining the band are encouraged to bring their instruments and participate in the day’s events. Parents will have plenty of opportunities to ask questions as well. Click here for more information.

Students from Rochester City School 52 helped Randy Henderson unload books from a 2013 Ford Escape.

A quick follow-up today on a blog I posted a few months ago about a local business’ effort to help city schools.

Throughout the month of August, Henderson Ford held their annual Fill a Ford Book Drive. New and used books for children ages 6-12 were collected at the dealership and several local businesses. The Henderson folks report that it was a very successful effort; 1,203 books were collected and donated to students at Rochester City School Number 52, Frank Fowler Dow Elementary School.

The press release did not indicate whether that was enough books to actually fill a Ford.

Henderson Ford President Randy Henderson and Business Development Director Aki Henderson personally delivered the books to School 52 in a 2013 Ford Escape on September 11. The students welcomed them at an assembly where Randy Henderson spoke about the importance of reading.

Randy Henderson talked with students at School 52 about the importance of reading after dropping donated books off at the school.

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I also wanted to recognize State Road School on a terrific accomplishment I heard about yesterday from the school district.

Last week the American Heart Association announced that State Road Elementary School came in first place for Division 2 New York State schools in the annual Jump Rope for Heart/Hoops for Heart event. State Road students raised more than $10,200 in the event, held last March.

Plank Road South also has something to cheer about — they came in third place, by raising more than $16,400. Congratulations to the students at both schools for a tremendous accomplishment and dedication to a good cause.

A student at State Road Elementary School jumps for the record in March.

A few readers have asked me that question recently, which means that many other people are almost certainly wondering the same.

This graphic accompanied the blog I wrote about the land swap back in March 2011. It shows the plaza and Van Ingen Drive before construction.

The short answer is that the owners of Webster Plaza are creating some new parking behind Savers. The project involves re-routing Van Ingen Drive — the road which allows Town Hall access from Hard Road — and has required taking down some trees. The work should be completed by the end of the month. Next year the Town plans to work with the Friends of Webster Trails to create some trails in the remaining parkland.

The project has been in the works for more than a year, when the plaza owners first asked the Town Board to rescind the easement rights the Town had been granted, so that more parking could be put in for the proposed Savers store.

This is where the story gets a little complicated. The Town proposed a land swap involving property at Yankee Stadium on Boulter Parkway (apparently a new parking lot was needed there as well), the whole thing went up for public comment, and a deal was struck. Supervisor Ron Nesbitt detailed the process for me in a recent email. I’ve posted it on my blog Facebook page. Click here if you’d like to read that and get the long story.

Bottom line is, a new Van Ingen Drive will be created, which will now be a dedicated Town access road. Trees are coming down and a parking lot is going up. The amount of parkland back there is now smaller. But it’s not the end of the world as we know it.

Frankly, before this project began, I never even realized there was a park back there, despite all the times I have taken that shortcut behind the plaza. The way I see it, this little park is getting reborn. Once the Friends of Webster Trails get their hands on it and create some new hiking trails, it will finally get the appreciation it deserves.

There are so many things happening in the next week or two, I’m afraid they’re going to start falling through the cracks. So here’s an unusually early mailbag.

The Webster Town Board will hold a public hearing on the 2013 budget this Thursday night October 18. Residents are encouraged to attend to ask questions about the budget, published in its entirety last week in the Webster Herald. There will be time to comment on any line item and department. The meeting begins at 7:30 pm at the Webster Town Hall, 1000 Ridge Road.

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Check out Operation BLUE this Saturday October 20, a full day of events sponsored by the Webster Marching Band at Webster Schroeder High School. Operation BLUE 2012 is an open house and clinic held in the stadium from 2-4 pm. This clinic is free of charge and is offered to any Webster School District student in grades 4-12 interested in color guard, dance, percussion, woodwinds or brass. Interested musicians should bring their own instruments. A parent information session will also be held.

That evening is the band’s annual Autumn Fanfare, a field band competition featuring eight bands from across New York State. The event starts at 6 pm and tickets are available at the door for $6. Students participating in events earlier in the day will receive one free ticket.

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Webster’s second Cash Mob also takes place Saturday, from 1-3 pm. This month’s target is the Art Stop, 10 North Avenue, just steps from the village’s four corners. Stop by, drop a few bucks, and help give a small business an economic jolt. Cash mobbers will meet afterwards at Barry’s Old School Irish for a pint and a scone.

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ALSO on Saturday October 20 is the 28th annual St. Rita Craft Sale from 9 am to 3:15 pm at St. Rita School, 1008 Maple Drive. Organizers promise more than 130 vendors, food, raffles and a bake sale. Sounds like a great place to start your Christmas shopping. Call 671-3132 for more information.

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Weather permitting, the Webster Highway Department will begin its autumn leaf collection on Monday October 22. Trucks will pass through town every week through Monday November 26, when they make one final west-side-to-east-side sweep. If you have any specific questions, contact the Highway Department at 872-1443, Monday through Friday between 7 am and 3:30 pm.

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The Music at Immanuel Concert Series will feature Warner Iverson performing on Baroque Guitar on Friday October 26, beginning at 7 pm.

Warner Iversen is a multi-instrumentalist currently pursuing a doctoral degree with a double major in classical guitar and early music from the Eastman School of Music. Mr. Iversen has performed as a guest artist at the Juilliard School of Music, NYC and at DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana. He recently made his debut as a musical director in a production of John Blow’s Venus and Adonis.

The concert is free and open to the public, and a reception will follow. A free will offering to benefit the Music at Immanuel Concert Series will be received. Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church is located at 131 West Main Street, Webster, at the corner of Daniel Drive. Parking is available behind the church. For more information, go to www.immanuelwebster.org.

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Make sure to make time a Saturday, October 27 to celebrate Halloween in the Village and Trick or Treat Trail. You can click here for details, but briefly, you can look forward to donuts & cider, the annual costume contest, the scarecrow contest, a pet costume contest and parade, pumpkin painting, and of course trick-or treating all through the village.

The Webster Museum will also have some special events that day, from 11:30 am -4 pm. You can solve some mysteries and get some candy. So make sure you stop by — 18 Lapham Park. More information at www.webstermuseum.org.

That evening, Webster’s favorite little Irish Pub, Barry’s Old School Irish, will celebrate its one-year anniversary. Everybody who’s anybody in the village will be there. Actually, I think they’re planning special events all week to celebrate, but make sure you’re there on Saturday night to celebrate with an entire village.

What a spectacular morning it was yesterday for the second annual Homecoming Parade in the Village of Webster. It’s worth saying again — what a great opportunity it was for the community to come out and celebrate BOTH schools’ accomplishments, to remind ourselves we are ONE community and not divided by what others have chosen as high school boundaries.

Three readers so far have answered my call for photos. Thank you to Jodie Dovholuk, Elizabeth Cameron and my friend Christine Reynolds for sending theirs along yesterday. I’ve posted a few here and the rest on a Facebook gallery which you can access by clicking here or any of the photos.

I’d love to get even more photos to add to the gallery. Please send me your favorites at missyblog@gmail.com, and tell me what you thought about the parade this year.

Hey friends, don’t forget about this morning’s Homecoming Parade, which winds through the village beginning at 10 am. It’s the final event in an action-packed Homecoming Week at the Webster high schools. This is the second annual parade, which brings both high schools together in a joint effort to celebrate both schools’ teams and clubs. What a great idea. Last year’s parade was rather anemic; I’m assured that this year’s is bigger and better. I’ve seen some of the floats in the making, and they look awesome.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to be there, so please send me photos if you take any, and I will publish a gallery of the best ones!

According to Webster Thomas social studies teacher Greg Ahlquist, students are like a tube of toothpaste.

I’ll explain shortly what Ahlquist meant by that. But suffice it to say, that kind of thinking is just one of many reasons Greg Ahlquist was named by the Board of Regents this week as the 2013 New York State Teacher of the Year.

Ahlquist made that analogy yesterday as he stood at a podium on the Webster Thomas stage, toothpaste tube in hand, and addressed an auditorium filled to capacity with Thomas students and staff members, administrators, Board of Education members, and local media representatives. Ahlquist had officially received the award in a ceremony held Wednesday in Albany. Yesterday’s assembly was a chance for the Webster Thomas family to congratulate him on his achievement.

Some of the hundreds of Thomas students and staff members who attended yesterday's assembly.

Ahlquist is a Webster native and 1991 Webster Thomas High School graduate. He has been teaching social studies in the Webster School District since 2000, including AP World History, AP European History and a Holocaust elective. He currently serves as Lead Teacher for the entire Advanced Placement (AP) Program at Webster Thomas.

As New York’s Teacher of the Year, Ahlquist will represent the state’s more than 200,000 teachers, and speak at events around the state. He is also in the running for the national award.

In 2007 Ahlquist was one of the five finalists for Teacher of the Year. He didn’t know he had won this year’s award until it was announced at the ceremony in Albany on Wednesday.

Now back to the toothpaste. As Ahlquist displayed a thoroughly flattened toothpaste tube to the Webster Thomas audience, he described how he’d had to rescue it from his wife, who wanted to throw it away, assuming that no more toothpaste could be gotten from it. But he knew better. With some gentle coaxing and judiciously applied pressure, he could get another week’s worth of toothpaste out of that tube.

And so it is with students, he explained. “A great teacher sees potential (in a student) where others see very little.”

Congratulations, Greg. You make the Town of Webster, the Webster School District, and Webster Thomas very proud. I am honored to be a colleague.

Click HERE to see a nice story on WHAM Channel 13 about Greg Ahlquist.

I found it astounding that four years ago the gas price was half of what it is today. As soon as it drops below four dollars it shoots back up the next week and slowly progresses to a higher and higher price. Hopefully the outcome of this year’s presidential election will put a halt to these rising prices, because for students (who do not make much money to begin with) this expense takes away half of a paycheck. If I had a vote in this year’s election I would look into who is cutting the cost of gas and who has the best plan of attack. If Obama has the same plan he has been implementing the last four years I would not expect things to change. Whomever is elected needs to recognize that we all could use a little change.

The time and location of the next Webster Cash Mob has officially been announced.

If you’ve never heard of a “cash mob,” the idea is simple. It’s kind of like a “flash mob,” where people show up at a specified time and perform some sort of choreographed dance routine or activity. In a cash mob, local residents show up at a predetermined small business at a certain date and time and spend money, giving the business an economic jolt. Mobbers typically spend $10-20 dollars.

This month’s “mob target” is The Art Stop, at 10 North Avenue in the village. The Art Stop, open since 2003, sells fine art supplies, creative items for children, and gift items. They also have a custom frame shop and a gallery featuring work by local artists, and offer art lessons in their second-floor studio.

The Cash Mob will descend on the Art Stop on Saturday Oct 20 from 1:00 – 3:00 pm. Afterwards, mobbers will meet at Barry’s Old School Irish for a pint and a scone.

You can find out more about this cash mob and future Webster Cash Mob efforts by “liking” the group’s Facebook page, or contact Renee Short at 585-670-9385.

Missy Rosenberry, a graduate of Cornell University, spent many of her post-college years in radio, advertising and public relations. After taking most of the 1990s off to have her three children, she is now a full-time teaching assistant for the Webster school district, and a part-time karate instructor. She and husband Jack have lived in the Webster/Penfield area with the kids for 11 years. She'd like to use her blog to help others learn more about the Webster community.

Roderick Spratling is a husband and father of two who has lived in the community for over 18 years. Born and raised in Detroit, Spratling is a 1976 graduate of Michigan State University who earned a master’s degree in Manufacturing Management & Leadership from RIT in 2004. He’s a Purchasing Consultant in Global Purchasing for Xerox Corp., and he enjoys softball, bowling, photography, and traveling.